The dog was barking at something in the backyard, and it ended up being a pair of mating Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes. The home is surrounded by a view fence, with open desert all around, and was a perfect candidate for rattlesnake fencing. – Rio Verde, Arizona
Workers got a surprise when they found a pair of mating Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes hiding out in an electrical box. Marissa was very careful to capture them together, but they separated in the process.
The snakes had easy access to the space because of a broken lid. That made for an easy free cave to hang out in, usually with higher ambient moisture than the outside.
The snakes were released together to a suitable replacement winter site.
A rattlesnake seen near a concrete slab in the backyard means something different in the winter months. The snake didn’t move on as expected, and it and a second one were there the next day when the pool guy showed up. When Marissa got there, they were mating. She carefully captured them both and took them to suitable replacement winter site in the preserve nearby.
